The End Saga: Exodus
by Kirokami
Summary: A thousand years after the End incident: humans no longer believe in the gods..some even fear them, and technology rules the Overworld. One day, after a teen Steve and his step brother Rin are thrust in the middle of a huge conflict, an a thousand year lie is surfaced, and with it Steve must choose a side; in the midst of all of this, a rebellion is rising..and in need of a leader.
1. Prologue: A Dark Reunion

YEAH! IM FINALLY BACK BABY! :D "Goes into dance"  
Ok..I have seriously had so much work lately that it's been close to impossible to even attempt to write this..But since vacations coming up right away..well..that will give me _plenty _of time. :3 Hope you like this...

"Dramatic Blackout"

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_**Prologue: A Dark Reunion**_

_So long she had __**searched...**_

_**Hunted **__down them..the last remaining survivors..loyalists..._

_She interrogated them __**mercilessly..**_

_She would scan and search every inch of ancient texts..just to learn..to find...anything!_

_She had nearly searched every..damn...bloody inch of this continent._

_And she had finally found it...against the odds..._

A woman paced down a dark ancient corridor littered with ancient texts and runes...The darkness ebbing at her keen vison.

She held her long black cloak snug against her; her silver-blue eyes glinting in the dim light..and her teeth gritted in disdain.

_It must be here..._

_Somewhere._

She cautiously took out a torch and with a sharp pop of flame, lit it with a sturdy piece of flint. The torch swiftly came ablaze instantly, it's intense orange flare spreading and ebbing it's light across the shadowed temple.  
Immediatly a colossal door came into view..not far in front of the woman; it's wall was carved by crumbling ebony mosaics of dragons with sinister ruby eyes that almost seemed to taunt her with their frozen gaze...

Beside the dragons were three ancient runes carved straight into the ebony wall...

_Three runes. _

_Yes..._this was the right place...

Excitement, dismay, and adrenaline rippled through the woman's heart...almost making her tremble...

_It had been so long...so...so..long..._

_**Too long...**_  
_Finally...he would come to be at last...once again!_

_And their long awaited revenge would come together at last...!_  
She grinned darkly in the darkness, shakily pushed a lock of crimson hair back out of her face, and set the torch onto the misty earth.

_**Finally...**_

The woman stretched out both of her arms into the darkness, feeling the cool, smooth elegant wall laid out before her.

_It wouldn't be so elegant later.._

She then paced backwards a few steps, raising both of her hands, and glaring at the ancient runes as if they were her menacing enemy this whole time...

The words seemed to drift into her mind without an issue..after all she had memorized them..

She had waited centuries for this moment..!  
Focusing her inner energy into her palms, she yelled out the first chant.

_"Renvaas...Simir...Tauntas..!" _

The pure blood-red energy crackled out of her palms, embellishing itself into the dark text, and making it gleam intensely with the glow...

Red light immediately streamed through arcane lines scattered throughout the door, making it seem like crackling veins..

She watched at the wall started the crumble instead of unbuckle..which may have been due to it being so old...

_Well the faster this thing gets undone...the better..._

She breathed in deeply, and yelled out the next line of the chant, making her voice eireely echo throughout the dark coridoors..making her feel utterly alone.

_Well not alone for long..._

_"Yargver...Defnin...Sorras...!"_

Red energy crackled through the rune, filling it with the intense glow..

All of the sudden, she staggered as the door rumbled with the force of an earthquake, and it began to open..it's obsidian foundations even crumbling with the sheer force.

But it wasnt enough...she needed to do the final chant..

Well lets get this done once and for all...

She hissed out the last chant, and with it most of her magic energy rippled out of her..rendering her weakened...

_**"Ollaon...Ramae...Quinnan..!"**_

The last rune rippled with the intense crimson energy and buckled backwards with a screeching force..causing the other runes to do the same..and the wall to slowly open..

And with it came down huge crumbling blocks of obsidian..one coming straight down towards her...

_"ARGH..!"_  
She yelled out in shock, diving to the side and hearing the gigantic, eroded block shatter into the earth behind her...

_Just at least a few blocks behind her..._

Gritting her teeth, she let out a shuddering breath and picked herself back up...entering the chamber laid out before her...

The huge corridor came to a halt at the cause of the deep fiery glow at the end of it..

A lava lake.

And in the middle stood a cracking..ancient statue of...

_Him. _

Yes...it was uncannily similar to him..it had to be.

His figure was contorted in a bloodrage; his sword beckoning down as if ready to strike, his other arm looking ready to release fire..and his blank eyes glinted in an undescribable fury.

So this was what they did to him all this time...this was his fate.

She knew a spell that may work...

May.

But it would be so very risky...

But at the same time it was so tempting..so irrestible...

_She must do it._

She looked directly into the eyes of the ancient statue, holding out her dominant hand towards it.

She slowly whispered the spell under her breath..and with her last strength and fierce will..felt the green magics swirl through her hand..ready for fire.

With a faint smile she whispered at the inanimate figure staring down upon her menacingly.

"It is about time for you to return Herobrine..."  
She released the energy with a great force..and without a mere hint of hesitation.

The green energy rippled and was absorbed by the statue...slowly making it's way up him.

Slowly upwards...ever slowly...

Finally it made it's way up to his face, where the ancient stone crumbled away; a fearsome force of white light cracking away the last piece of stone..and his eyes becoming revealed..

Life came into his figure..and for one second he shouted in pure hatred and anger towards her; his hand bursting into bright flame.

_**"YOU...I WILL...AVENGE YOU RAVVAR-"**_  
He cut his speech off short, his eyes faltering as if he didn't believe what he could possibly be seeing.

_"I say it's about time we met once again Hero..."_

He froze in place..as if he thought this was simply just a dream; the fire slowly dwindled down until it was just a simple ball of harmless orange light..and then nothing more.

"Is...that you...or an apparation...? I must...I must be dead..._you..._are dead...You are..."

"I am no apparation...you are not dead...I have waited nearly a thousand years for this."

He seemed to choke on his own words, and slowly made his way down the black island on the lake, and made a quick leap over to her..with a hint of caution.

He started to narrow his eyes with disbelief..and then took her hand in his tightly.

"I...I would...have never believed...she..._banished you...?! I would've...tortured her first..."_

"It doesn't matter now...I am here."

Her eyes flickered with a painful longing and hatred, coming closer to him.

"I have gone around...searched the Overworld...everything has changed. Apparently she is seen as a...god...now...she is..._worshiped_..in places!"

_"Damn her_...I attempted to kill her...but I don't know what happened to the boy..if he is indeed alive or not..."

He said bitterly, and she could almost feel the crackle of heat in his hands.

"It has been a thousand years...he is no doubt..._dead..."_

She looked away with a pained expression in her face..

"If that is the case..all our hopes would be for nothing. I...at least want a reason to move on..something to hold onto. You and me...we must find ourselves a rebellion..form one for that matter. _We must rise above her."_

He looked down at her and sighed deeply, as if a deep weight was thrust upon his shoulders.

"But these mortals..if they worship her...you know what I must do Somira...I would slaughter anyone gullible to believe her..._**cause!" **_His hand now spiked up with heat, so much she tore her hand away..

Gritting her teeth, she looked reluctantly at him.

"This is our final destination...so if it indeed comes to it..I will do it with you Herobrine. But for now we must lay siege against her and her followers."

"But what if all humanity follows her at this point...?! What do you expect we should do then..?"

"Then...so be it. I have wasted my life on her once. Not again will I fall against her...We must do whatever it takes..do _something.."_  
He nodded at the immortal solemnly, and held his hand out to her, his eyes focused intently to hers.

"Let us do this together again...this time we shall succeed...to whatever cost."

She looked at him seriously..and nodded grimly with the most faintest of a dark smile..making him grin.

She took his hand in an instant, slowly pulling herself close to him..and with it, the horrid empty space in her heart was filled once again; with a grin, she produced a dark ball of fire in her palms between them.

_"I say we begin this; let us get ourselves a rebellion."_


	2. Orgins

**Big Forenote with notable notes for readers: (AKA..lots of important notes.) **  
**Hey guys..Im back with the first chapter of the story~**  
**Some of you may not care for it as it is mostly filler..but then again, it does manage to kick off the story a bit. :P (And most of the stuff starts happening towards the 4th chapter..as the beginnings of my stories tend to be slow at first to introduce a feel to the story. )**

**And I may start to release some chapters such as this one and the second back-to-back so you guys won't have to wait long..and we can get this story goin! :)**  
**Also...I do want to say, that this story will most likely be 30 chapters instead of 20..since this plot is much...**_**larger. **_**:3**

**ALSO****..I just want to say this very important message if you wish to have an oc of yours in this story...do it right **_**now! **_**At this very moment! It will seriously make writing this story so much easier without bringing so many oc subplots into the mix all over the place, in this already complicated plot!**

**"Pictures at least 20 ocs running all over the place and randomly appearing"**

**So...yeah. "shudders" Hope you heed my advice! **

**And...now here is my response to your reviews so far~**

**Black Dragon41: XD Yeah..thats totally alright. I guess I could understand your confusion. Thank you too! And yes I will. ;)**

**EnderBlazeHybrid: ;D That would seriously make my world if this was an actual movie..! And thank you~ :3**

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**Chapter 1: Orgins**

Long plains stretched out across the land..making it seem as though they went on forever..endlessly into the horizon. Long yellowed grass wafted gentle in the suttle breeze, and with it, a teen let out a deep sigh with the mellowed breeze..

His bright blue eyes searched the plains and the milky sky wanderingly...longingly..

_Some say I have a bit too much of a longing for adventure...I call them insane._

_Wouldn't anyone want to explore these lands..? So much unmarked territory..full of so much opportunity. Very much unlike the crowded cities of the South._

_He had heard so much of the South: it was said they had the most advanced redstone technologies; people there didn't live in villages but huge..skyscrapers..and didn't mine or hunt for a living. _

_How could someone live that way..? Was it even possible...?_

_Then again..his lifestyle was very different from their simple lives: he lived up here in the highlands..ruled by the testeficate villigers. He had lived here with his proclaimed step brother and step father Tronak ever since he was born..ever since he remembered._

_He had to hunt and mine to help aid the village..and that was rough work in itself; working all day with nothing but a bow..sword..and a pickaxe._

_He wondered if people in the south ever had to hunt..?_

All of the sudden, he felt a sharp slap on his shoulder..waking him out of his daydream.

"_Steve! _Stop staring like that for Notch's sake! Sometimes I wonder if it's possible to get a coma while your awake...well nevermind _that! _Tronak wants your help with something."  
Steve whipped around, startled and then..annoyed.

His step brother Rin looked at him with a broad grin, a large bowl of brown hair, and starting green eyes..

_"Rin! _How about you stop jumping me like that! I would greatly appreciate it..I'll get to Tronak in a minute..."

Steve let out a deep sigh and sat himself amongst the grass, gazing outwards once again..at the peaceful plains.  
"Really..? Your just going to sit out here and do nothing all day..? Your awful boring for a human.."

Rin teased him with a broad toothy grin, and sat beside him, patting his back.

"Then again..I guess you must be exhausted as a pig running a marathon...besides, I saw all that tough work you did yesterday..hard stuff. Must take a toll on ya after a while, huh?" Steve grunted and combed his hands through his scruffy brown hair.

"I guess...it does after a while. But still..I get used to it."  
Rin bit his lip as though he was expecting Steve to talk more, and when he stayed mute..he let out a sigh.

"Well...I guess you can come whenever ya want...I'll just tell father your out of it..Besides..gotta get ready for the ceremony tomorrow!" Rin stayed for one more moment almost hesitantly, and finally ran off..as if he was full of boundless energy.

Steve scoffed and let out a deep yawn..

_Does he never run out of energy..?! I can't belive him sometimes._

_Then again..maybe I should get up and help pa and Rin..they might just need help with Rin's ceremony tomorrow.._

_The ceremony happened every year a villager turned 16..when they were finally initiated into the tribe once and for all; it was a great festible, and they would wear tribal paint..and the teen would have to shave his hair off and wear long robes for his ceremony.._

_For Rin..it was like the best day in the world: for me...well..not so much. My tribe shuns me a bit anyways for being a human..and even more for living with them..._

Steve bit his lip and turned around reluctantly, to see the village lit up by large golden lanterns and bright festible totems..

Noone was in sight however..for the sun was slowly going down, and with it, the..._creatures _would come out.

_Time to go inside..no use staying out here forever..just go with it._

Steve finally picked up himself and his iron pickax wearily and took one last glance at the beckoning horizon, cupping his hands over the melting orange sunset..

_I can't stay stuck here forever..doing everything the same each day.._

_Will it ever change one day...?_  
_Ever?_

At that moment, Stephen couldv'e sworn he saw the most faintest flash of an eiree glow of gold at the very edge at the fields..but he swiftly whipped around..his heart stammering in his chest.

_His curiosity was utterly drained tonight.._

_But still..? _  
_What was it?_

_Maybe he would search for it tomorrow..._

Back in the wooden lodge, the fireplace cracked with a sudden warmth that greeted Steve warmly; he watched as pa turned around from his cooking..obviously awaiting his arrival.

"It is about time you arrived my son..Rin spoke and said you were very fatigued..Maybe would you care for something to eat?"  
Tronak furrowed his bushy eyebrows as if worried for him, and gestured him towards a plate full of...baked potatoes..steamy...juicy...steak..and a pile of fresh carrots. _There was so much food..I could almost taste it..it was then I realized how starving I was for something to eat...!_  
Steve didn't hesitate for one second, and immediately took the plate in arms gingerly, sitting down on a long log bench to eat.

"Ank...ank chu..I as...oo mungry..." Steve garbled between bites..tasting food that taste like heaven..so much all of his worries seemed to float away harmlessly.

Tronak smiled warmly, but Steve could tell something was on his mind..something important..

After he didn't say anything after a few moments, Steve froze for a moment, making sure to chew up the last bit of tough steak before speaking.

"Um...oh...pardon me..I forgot..didn't you wish for me to do something..?"

Tronak let out a deep sigh, and set himself down at the table, looking seriously at Steve as if wondering which grim subject to bring up first.

Steve, starting to feel utterly uncomfortable by his pa's solemn stare, slowly pushed the half eaten plate away from him.

Tronak nodded slowly, and finally spoke up in his deep, but soft voice.

"Ah..yes. I believe I wished for you to do a chore for me tonight with Rin..to go fetch me some wood for my fireplace, in the woodlands nearby..we are running out."  
Steve began to feel awkward with how the conversation was going..but well..that was always how these types of talks went...

"But...there is something else you wanted to tell me."  
"Yes..there is indeed. And I believe this subject has gone without mention for far too long."  
Stephen immediately felt as though a freezing chill went down his spine, and he tried to hold back his utter curiousity..of relief..

"Is this...about who my parents are...? Where I came from...?"  
"Yes...you have came of age Stephen. Seventeen. I see that is a good enough age to talk to you about this..considering I have already told Rin about it."  
Adrenaline flowed through him, and his heart went from a steady beat to a swift drum roll.

_He had been waiting for this conversation for long enough already..for nearly forever..._

_Where had he came from? Why had his parents left him...? Why was it kept from him for so long..?!_  
"Tell me." Stephen said urgently to his step father. "Please...I have been wondering this all my life..I want to know..!"  
Tronak let out a deep sigh, and looked straight directly at him, with his jet black eyebrows set in a deep thinking frown once again.

"First I must warn you...I have no idea as to who your direct parents were...we can only speculate. But I do have the story of your...odd upbringing to this place."  
Steve's hopes immediately diminished like a small candlelight being mercilessly flushed away by a colossal wave...and his heart filled with a great loss..

"Oh...I..just thought..you would've known...I am sorry."  
Tronak nodded thoughtfully at Steve, and spoke slowly and carefully.

"Yes..I am not surprised that was your expectations...and I am deeply sorry. But the actual story may give you some clues..but also some deadends..and strange mysteries. Shall I begin?"  
"...Yeah..I guess."  
His main hopes had dwindled to nothing...but what was so strange about his back story..?  
_Was this the reason he was shunned by the tribe...?_

Tronak looked with a deep interest into Stephen's eyes, and finally began to speak.  
"It all began long ago..by Notch I have no idea..but I know that others told me about it..Long ago, it was said a testificate found a very...strange human enter these plains. She wore dark blue robes, and a hood that shrouded her face..and rumor had it, she may have been a spell caster by the looks of it. And the most strangest rumor of all..say she may have been one of the seven oracles of legend's time..."  
_Steve felt as though he had frozen..and a deep astonishment and disbelief came over him._

"But...not many believe those legends anymore..not many even believe..Notch and Herobrine. They say such things are only myths..."  
"Some say. And some even fear such entities. Especially Herobrine..who was said to have nearly brought destruction to this world...But who did create this extraordinary world..? How are we here? Too many questions in this world..and yet when all the answers are in front of us..we simply ignore them. Ever thought of it that way?"  
_No...I hadn't..._

_But..I know magic is obviously real. Many of the villagers use it here..._

_Do some people even believe these things..? Even magic..?_

Steve gulped, and looked at pa; his mind buzzing with so many thoughts...

"Um...I guess you can go on with the story. I think I would like to hear more now."

Tronak started up once again, now sparking back Steve's attention.

"Even so..the woman came here..and against all odds, she said she was a human. But even so, she managed to bring...a child with her. She told us to protect it with our lives..and not to bring it to any imminent dangers. Then she vanished within seconds..leaving us with the baby.."

_Was she my mother..or simply a messenger..?_  
_Either way..something felt missing from the story; I was given a shattered story..and was expected to slowly piece it together..bit by bit._

_But how in the Nether would I be able to do that..?! I don't even know half of the story!_

Steve asked urgently and impatiently, so many things speeding across his mind.  
"The baby...was me right? Well...why would someone like her bring me here..? Was I in danger at the time..?! _What was going on?"_  
**"**_**Silence!"**_  
Tronak shouted, and Steve flinched..feeling utterly guilty all the same..even with his never-ending curiosity ebbing relentlessly at the back of his mind.

_Now look what you've gotten yourself into..._

"I...am sorry pa..I just-"  
"No mean to tell me...I know...It must be a horrid feeling being shunned here amongst us..not even knowing why you were brought here in the first place.."

Tronak let out a deep sigh, and patted Steve's rough hands..cupping them over his.

"Just..may you do that chore for me now..? Rin is probably waiting outside with the axes..and I would greatly appreciate it."  
His eyes signaled it was time to leave, and his stern gaze faltered towards the front door..where Rin was waiting.

Steve cautiously got up..with his heart feeling as though it was pierced with a blade..and his mind puzzled and not pleased with his final answer..

_Is he still hiding something from me...? Does he know something more...?_  
Chewing hard on his lip from his conflicted emotions, he headed towards the door, and swiftly took his bow and blade from the wall hanger, and strapped them both on his back strap carefully.

As he was about to leave, and he heard the door let out a satisfying squeak..and a slight waft of breeze waft against his face...he felt even more eager to leave this place.

It was then Tronak spoke, startling Steve, and making him whip around in surprise.  
Pa's face was contorted with the most slightest expression of worry..and Steve couldv'e sworn he saw.._regret.._marked on his face...

"Be..be careful Stephen."

Steve didn't say a word..but instead nodded warily, and finally shut the door behind him..leaving his father alone...and taking a big leap towards his destiny.

_That would be the last time he would ever see his father again._


	3. A Runed Message

**Chapter 2: A Runed Message**

Rin waited, eyes gleaming brightly with excitement outside of the cottage. Steve smiled vaguely at him; it felt so great to just get out of the confinement of the house and just come out.._here_ for a change.

The moon shone as a bright crescent tonight, and it's milky white glow penetrated through the dim clearing, adding some creamy light to the darkness.

_But still..if we were out here alone in the dark..we may need torches..no use risking our lives stumbling in the dark without a clear sight of where we were going.._

"Did you bring any torches Rin? I think we should take some..especially since were going to go at least a mile from here.."  
Rin smirked, and hastily fished out two large wooden rods from his leather satchel. "Already on it! Here ya go. Better safe than sorry."  
Steve took one of the torches, and watched as Rin took out a piece of flint and lit them up, instantly making fiery beacons in the dusky midnight.  
"About axes? Pa said you brought some to-"  
Before he could even finish his sentence, Rin tossed him an axe, catching Steve off guard and causing him to narrowly catch it...and almost chopping his arm off in the process."_Better safe than sorry..?! You can't even give weapons away properly!" _

Rin burst out laughing, and Steve quickly hushed him, his heart racing in his chest.

He whipped around them, eyeing their dim surroundings to make sure nothing noticed them.

Nothing moved.

It was completely and utterly still..

Silent. Too silent...

"_We should keep quiet..the mobs will no doubt be out sooner or later.."_

_"Come on..I know...but can't you have a bit of fun once in a while..?"_

_"Yes...but right now's really not the time..."_

Rin finally nodded and shut up..although with a bit of reluctance as well.  
Steve sighed..a bit relived for Rin quieting down, and motioned for Rin to come with him towards the South..were the woodlands laid.

Steve swiftly swapped his axe to his dominant hand, and gripped his torch in his left hand, holding it upwards and shining the way.  
All around them the hills of the plains were only large blobs of inky black in the midnight..and far, directly in front of them stood the dense woodlands that led to the south: marked only by a beaten rugged path created centuries ago by coming traders and miners..now long abandoned and at misuse.

The trees stood in the distance like a grim omen; long spiny tendrils of black stretching far into the horizon..all the way to the dagger-like crescent moon...

_And oh..how far away they seemed..the overall distance they needed to cover was at least a mile..of taunting plains possibly filled with nocturnal monstrosities._

_Why of all nights did we really need to fetch firewood..?_

_Great. Just great..._

_"Come on...lets go."_  
He paced ahead warily, a sense of pure dread creeping up on him and making him feel at total unease..

As if someone was watching them...

Steve quickly pushed this disturbing thought away, and instead focused on his torch's bobbing light in front of them..leading the way.

_But something...I...it seems.._

It almost felt like eyes were right on him...watching him...gazing like a silent predator stalking it's prey...

It bothered and nagged at the back of Stephen's mind so much, as they were walking, he hissed out an almost inaudible whisper.

"_Rin...Rin...Is..there...something out there watching us...?"_  
All he heard was the mute silence of the plains...so much his heart skipped a beat..

_"Rin...? Rin...?! RIN?" _

Finally he whipped around to see Rin clutch his arm tightly..his mouth dropped wide open, and his eyes glimmering with utter dismay...as if he had seen a demon himself...

He mouthed the words..

_"Someone...behind me..."_  
It was then that Steve almost dropped his torch..and he held in a scream by biting down fiercely on his lip..so much it bled..

_Right behind Rin was the hovering gold light he had seen earlier...and..._

...It..was slowly changing it's form..right until it became a pair of pure yellow eyes..outlining _the faint shape of a man's...face..._

His fight or flight senses immediately kicked in...and he could almost hear his pulse in the overwhelming silent darkness...

Steve stood utterly frozen for a moment..and then he dared not even speak...but mouthed a single word to Rin...

_Run._

They broke for it madly into the dark..so much that Steve thought he was going to eventually fall and trip..falling behind into the shadowed night...in the hands of that...

_Thing._

_By Notch...what in the Nether was it...?! _

He couldn't think at all right now...all he knew..was to get away...

His feet propelled him forward, and with his hand he gripped Rin right beside him...who seemed was ready to have a panic attack. Rin was almost ready to scream, when Steve had to grip his arm over his mouth..muffling his long and helpless scream..

The trees were very close now...so much Steve could almost smell the pine in the trees...

_Just...make...it to the woods..._

_RUN!_  
_Black trees..._

_Darkness..so many shadows..._

All of the sudden..he felt indescribably dizzy...as though someone had punched him square in the face...

And yet he moved on...tugging Rin on with him...who was obviously getting faint also...

_Shit-shit-shit-shit...GO! GO! GO! Keep moving...!_

_Get...away..._

Steve began to see stars in his vison...so much he was almost blinded by an intense, unnatural light...

All of the sudden..he heard a scream rip through his eardrum...

_PA!_

_I want to stop...but I cannot..._  
_I have ...to ...move..._

All of the sudden, a chorus of otherworldly howls and screeches...and screams filled the night...almost waking Steve up from his strange state.

_**"...You will not escape from me...I will track you down...and I will find you. Just wait and see..."**_  
A deep man's voice whispered into his ears...almost making him whip around...but he couldn't...

He cannot...

_Somehow...it felt...the man's voice was associated with the golden light...an otherworldly feeling..._

_By Notch! What was going on?!_

All of the sudden, he felt himself feel bracken and bushes all around him...and it felt as though he was descending...as though he was surrounded...

He must be in the woods...

_But it was too dark! He had lost his torch on the way..._

He finally found a large oak and hid behind it..blindly hearing a muffled Rin hide behind it with him..crouching in the underbrush..and quivering all over.

It was then...he felt himself almost...regain his senses...

He blinked.

_He could see better...he didn't feel dull and dizzy...and...he..felt so better..._

Steve breathed in the freezing night air..watching as his silent and quick breaths come out in wisps...  
He gripped his axe tightly in his sweaty hands..his eyes darting around him in the creaking forest.

_I can still hear the screams...but they are distant now...We should be safe..._

_For now._

Rin looked up at him with an undescribable tone of fear, and tears slid down his face so much, he looked ashamed and wiped them away constantly...

_"By Notch...what in the Nether was it...?! I swear it was a demon...Was it Herobrine..?!"_

_Herobrine was said to have white eyes..._  
_So no it couldn't be..._

_Then what was it?! Why did it want me?! _  
Steve spoke up, saying something he knew Rin would hate to hear..

"_I don't know Rin...I...I don't know...Wait here a minute..I should check-"_

Rin's eyes widened, and he wavered with an uncontrollable dismay.._ "NO! You cant leave me! I'll die out here for Notch's sake!"_

Steve sighed, and hissed out at him once again, impatience and fear rippling through him.  
_"...Rin..take my sword. Keep it close. I want to find out what's going on..."_

Without a word, he handed Rin his iron blade, and looked straight into his eyes, hushing any incoming protests._"That...is an order...If anything comes over here..kill it on sight. Only move when I come back. Got it?" _

Rin nodded quickly, holding the sword as if ready to strike anything that dare move into the clearing..even a fly.

Steve crouched down into the brush, taking out his bow and tucking an arrow into the shaft...getting ready for anything. His heart pounded like a fast..unstoppable drum, and he padded swiftly and silently through the brush..trying to avoid stepping into any crunchy twigs or dry leaves..

He slowly made his way back up the slope, where the broad oaks and gnarled pines came to a halt; the large opening to the plains...

Steve held the bow close to him, his breaths becoming quick and his eyes scanning the area..searching for any life.. _I can almost hear something in the distance...a...crackling._

_Something was burning._

_By Notch...they were burning the villages down..._

His crouch slowly went into a crawl..and the next thing he knew, he was peering like a startled deer over the side of the steep rise of the forest.

_Now muffled talking could be heard...of an otherworldly language...it sounded like two people were speaking._

Steve's eyes squinted in the dim light of dusk, trying to make out the dark shadowy figures in the gloom. Slowly he began to make out very humanoid shapes...and a shape like that of a wolf's.

_The wolf was not a regular wolf though...it couldn't be..._

_It appeared to be a huge black wolf with long jagged fangs, and bright slitted pink eyes..._  
One of the figures appeared to be very tall..and...had long deadly talons..as well as bright violet eyes..and black fangs..

_An enderman!_

_But...it was...__**speaking!**_

_Endermen are said to be nothing more than savage creatures..._

_..._

_By Notch..._

The next figure appeared to be the height of an average human..and Steve could make out the faint details of an embroidered black and gold cloak...and..

_Gold eyes..._

For a mere second, Steve thought the gold-eyed man could sense his presense..and he ducked further into the dense vines and bushes..cursing under his breath..and at the same time..feeling the thorns rake against his bare flesh...!

All of the sudden, he heard a raspy, otherworldly voice cry out in human speech. "_BLOOD! I can smell it! ...It is a human...Close by..."_

Steve felt as though his heart skipped a beat..and he immediately froze..not daring to even move with those things nearby...

The golden eyed man narrowed his eyes and seemed to grind his pure white teeth in displeasure. "Well? What are you waiting for Rekess..? _Search the area..." _

The enderman whipped around, immediately glancing towards the forest, and sniffed the night air, growling..

Steve immediately glanced downwards..not daring to meet the creature's eyes..

_Even make eye contact..and you'll send him on a bloodlust...cause him to hunt you down..._

Heart stammering, and feeling as though this was the end..Steve finally closed his eyes and sent up a silent prayer to Notch...

_This is it._

_Hmm..was a great fate..to get mutilated alive by an enderman..._

_Notch...help me. Hear my prayer...I cannot die like this..._

_Please._

He heard the enderman mumble crazily in the mute silence..muttering otherworldly curses...and snapping his ebony fangs tauntingly...

Steve laid on the earthen ground, driving his bloody shoulder into the ground to block it's scent..and hearing only the enderman's noises..mixed in with his own shallow breathing...

"_Have you found anything..?"_

...

_"...Probably a dead corpse...it smells like the earth...nothing more..." _The enderman hissed into the night air, snorting up a last good breath of the air...and...

_Moving away..._

_Thank Notch..._

_Maybe...just maybe he is real after all...maybe he heard my prayers..._

Steve slowly opened his eyes..and moved his head up cautiously, observing the two figures..

"_Hmph...I could've suspected that. Did you make sure the entire village is cleared?" _The golden eyed man questioned, glancing back at the village with a sense of triumph.

"_Yes Xael...I sent all of my men to scout and kill off any survivors..everyone of them is slaughtered."_

_That was his name...Xael..._

_Now why did it sound hauntingly familiar...?_

_..._

Xael looked back upon the village, but something shone on his face...a sense of distinct displeasure...dissapointment.

"_Did you find the boy...? I thought I saw someone very similar to him...but he managed to escape with another mortal." _

The enderman clicked his fangs, and glared around him, his slitted eyes hunting the area for any last forms of life. "_No my lord Xael...I could unfortunately not find him...all I could find was the villagers_  
_"Then...search..__**harder...**__send out all your men...and __**hunt him down! I WILL NOT SEE HIM ALIVE TILL I DIE!" **_

The enderman watched as Xael growled in disgust; swiping a blade across the enderman's face, causing him to snarl in pure pain..and make a reluctant bow in return.. "_I...am sorry my lord...I will search harder. "_

The enderman then let out an otherworldly call, beckoning tall black figures to slowly emerge from the shadows..

_By Notch..there were so many..._

_At least twenty of them..._

_"YOU HEARD HIM! GET OUT THERE AND FIND HIM! HUNT HIM DOWN!" _The endermen all joined into a chorus of howling and shrill cries...and then they..

_Disappeared..._

_They are teleporting...by Notch..._

Steve watched as Xael beckoned to the black wolf, who let out a deep eiree howl...

The figure then mounted up onto the beast..and strode off into the darkness..leaving Stephen in the shadows completely surrounded...

_Notch...why were they after me?! I have never done anything to anyone in my life!_

But something immediately caught Steve's eyes..something bright and white laid out on the damp long grass...forgotten. _He must have dropped it...against all odds..._

It seemed to beckon to him...but at the same time, he knew how vulnerable he was...how out in the open he was right now...

_Do it. Get it before they notice._

_If anything may explain what in the Nether was going on right now...it was the scroll._

Steve's eyes darted around the open plains..where the scroll laid on the ground motionless..and ever taunting with it's black seal.

_It seemed clear. _

_For now anyways..._

Finally..not resisting against the temptation, he slowly rose out of the shadows with bow in hand, cautiously approaching the abandoned parchment. One last quick look around him..all while his heart throbbed in his chest, he snatched the scroll and booked it..back into the dark forest..and back to Rin.

* * *

Rin laid patiently on the ground, right where Steve had left him, and right as he entered the forest, Rin let out a shrill cry and clashed his sword into Steve's bow with a loud _clang_...right before backing off in surprise. "_RIN! _It is me...it's alright.."

Rin glared at Steve, and let out a sigh..kneading his fingers into his head stressfully._ "_No kidding! You nearly gave me a heart attack...Did you see them...? What were they...?"

Stephen struggled to bring himself to tell Rin what had just happened..

_They had burned down all the villages..and left no survivors..no even Rin's father; so many things had happened in that brief moment..so it would be near impossible to tell the entire story while they were being hunted at this very moment! _

Steve let out a deep sigh and kneeled by Rin..trying to bring himself to tell him the event that had just occurred.  
"I...I don't have much time..it turns out people are after me.._lots of them."_  
Rin's eyes widened in fear, and he muttered something under his breath in disbelief.  
"They are mostly endermen...and they.._spoke.. _There are at least twenty of them at this very mom-"  
"_Twenty?! That is what were going up against..? How in the Nether are we going to get out of here alive?!"_  
Steve felt his heart seem to slip under pressure, but he went on. "They are led by a leader..I have no clue what he is...but he seems to have a grudge against me..I got this from him-" Stephen took out the scroll and unraveled it, revealing runed texts inside..which must've been some sort of message..

_Great...Now we have to decipher it to even read it?!_  
"How in the world did you manage to get it..? "  
"He..happened to drop it by chance. And now I guess we need someone to translate it..find out what the hell is going on..But first we need to get the hell out of here.._fast. _We need somewhere safe to talk..to hide for now."

Rin slowly got up onto his feet and hefted out the blade..and furrowed his brow, as if something else was bothering him.

"Did...did..they kill everyone? Did you see any survivors..? At all..?"  
Steve seemed to choke on his own words..and his heart filled with a deep dread.

_How could he possibly tell him the truth..._

"...They burned all of the...villages down Rin...Im...Im..sorry.."  
Rin gazed outwards for a moment..and his eyes glazed over glassily..so much that he turned his head away to hide it.

"..."  
Stephen gripped his step brother's shoulder, tensing up with desperation.  
"We have to go Rin...there is nothing left..."  
"...Fine...we..we should head for the south. I...I know a place where I believe someone could translate the text..Where we could be safe for the time being..."  
_The city of Gorra..._

_That had to be what he meant. _

_Maybe his father knew someone there...that he never bothered to tell me about..?_

_Then again...it was hundreds of miles away...and it may take nearly a month to even get there..._

_And don't even mention about the endermen...and who knows what else roamed the dark._

Steve saw his step brother's grief and patted Rin on the back..gesturing him to look at him. Rin finally brought his gaze to his, but it was rocking with anger..and depression..so much it took all of Stephen's will to look at him.

"I...I know this isn't your best day...no..probably...a...horrid...day..but we should get moving. The endermen might catch up to us soon. "  
Rin finally picked himself up and lent a grim smile, and drew out his sword at his side. "Alright..we should take to the old trail that leads to the southern lands. But...can you promise me something Steve?"

Steve was surprised by the unexpected question and shrugged uneasily. "...Yeah...sure Rin. Anything."

"Don't get yourself killed...your the last bit of decent family I got." Steve let out a sigh at this and nodded._ He is my step brother..and even so he looks up to me. Why? I have never been much of a good leader anyways..and I am not the best brother in the world..._

"Don't worry..I believe I can handle myself quite fine...Come on..lets go."


	4. IMPORTANT Reminder! :U

** ~Important Notice~ :U**

* * *

**Ok guys..I know you all have been waiting awhile for an update, right after I said I would have a lot of free time. **

**Well..it turns out that right after the fact, my teacher dumped us a **_**big **_**science fair project..including essays and all, to work over on vaca. :C**

**I started to really realize, after all of the work thrust upon me..it was a very unwise decision to tell all of you that I will update it right off, and get you all excited for nothing. To..let you guys down.. :l**

**It just so happens, that I do have my personal life and friends..and work that must be finished, unless it will stab me in the back later. It also happens that I am 14. My algebra grades are dropping, and the others arent...really as high; at the same time they are constantly reminding us of college..and since I am usually a straight A student, I am..not feeling right up to par. Especially since I do want a career in writing/art when I get older! :)**

**I seriously **_**need **_**this precious spare time to work on my work...!**

**But at the same time, I..seriously **_**love **_**this fanfiction idea, and I think this is probably one of my most..BEST ideas, so I seriously dont want that to go to waste!**

**I will try my best to get this updated soon, and I am actually currently working on the next chap. right now. (And I **_**may **_**get it in this weekend.)**

**But I really need you guys to understand, that I may need to delay it...again, or have longish updates..Due to a lot of personal stress on my shoulders right now. **

**I just hope you really dont take this to heart and understand guys. ;P **

**But...I will try my best to finish this story. **

**Just wanted to let you guys know this...and NOT to worry. **  
**And also.**

**I WILL finish it! :U**

**Soon. **


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